Remote hiring is a scammer's ideal setting: no office to visit, no colleagues to meet, everything by message. The good news is that the tells are consistent.
The absolute red lines
If any of these appear, stop:
- You are asked to pay for equipment, software, training or a background check
- You are sent a cheque and asked to forward part of it on
- The entire process happens on a messaging app with no video call
- You are asked for bank details, ID documents or a tax number before a signed contract
The subtler signs
Scams have got better. Watch for an offer that arrives without an interview, a company email address on a free domain, a salary far above the market rate for the role, and pressure to decide within hours.
Verify in two minutes
Search the company name plus the word "scam". Check whether the role appears on the company's own careers page. Look up the person interviewing you on a professional network and see whether their history is plausible.
If you have already engaged
Stop replying, do not send money, and report the listing to whichever board carried it. If you shared bank details, contact your bank immediately. If you shared ID documents, monitor for accounts opened in your name.
Common questions
Should I ever pay for equipment in a remote job?
No. Legitimate employers either ship equipment or reimburse it after you start, and the reimbursement is in your contract.
Is it normal to be hired without a video call?
No. Almost every genuine remote employer wants at least one live conversation before making an offer.
What if the company looks real?
Scammers impersonate real companies. Apply through the company's own careers page rather than replying to an inbound message.